Paul Pogba poses in Clairefontaine en Yvelines on October 9, 2018, as part of the team's preparation for the friendly against Iceland and the Nations League match against Germany.

Paul Pogba poses in Clairefontaine en Yvelines on October 9, 2018, as part of the team's preparation for the friendly against Iceland and the Nations League match against Germany. (FRANCK FIFE / AFP/Getty Images)

Samuel PetrequinASSOCIATED PRESS

Far away seem the days when Paul Pogba was praised for the mature displays that helped France win the World Cup.

For the Manchester United midfielder, the euphoria that engulfed French players following their title lasted only a few weeks as he fell out with coach Jose Mourinho on his return to Old Trafford.

Pogba's relationship with Mourinho has been complicated since his return to United in 2016. But it reached its nadir last month when Pogba was stripped of the vice-captaincy at the club and then appeared to have a spat with Mourinho at practice.

Following a poor start to the season, United is under pressure and Pogba's future there seems uncertain amid reports he could leave.

Such concerns are irrelevant when Pogba plays with his national team, and the international break is likely to provide solace to a player regarded as indispensable by France coach Didier Deschamps.

Pogba joined his teammates at France's training ground ahead of Thursday's friendly game against Iceland. France, which beat Croatia in the World Cup final in July, hosts Germany in the UEFA Nations League on Oct. 16 at Stade de France.

"I don't want to interfere with the relationship that he, or any other player, could have with his coach," Deschamps said. "But given the situation of some (players) in their clubs, the breath of fresh air brought by the France team can do them good."

Often criticized for his laid-back approach, Pogba took more responsibilities in France during the World Cup and is now regarded as a proper team leader. Pogba is crediting Deschamps, who uses him on the pitch in a less restricted role than Mourinho, for his positive influence.

"I have a very good relationship with the coach, he speaks straight to me," Pogba said.

Here is a look at other talking points ahead of this week's international matches:

EMPTY STADIUM

The last time Croatia played England was in the packed Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow in a World Cup semifinal match. When they meet in the Croatian coastal city of Rijeka on Friday, there will be no fans.

Croatia is completing a stadium ban imposed by UEFA in 2015 when a swastika was painted on its field ahead of a game.

STRUGGLING ITALY

Italy is in desperate need of a victory at Poland on Sunday to avoid more embarrassment after failing to qualify for the last World Cup.

The Azzurri already sit last in its Nations League group with only one point and one goal scored from their opening two matches — a 1-1 draw with Poland and a 1-0 loss to Portugal.

Napoli's Lorenzo Insigne is being tapped for a "false 9" role amid a series of problems for the usual center forwards.

Mario Balotelli and Andrea Belotti have been dropped due to poor form while Ciro Immobile and Simone Zaza have struggled with the national team.

FALLEN CHAMPS REBUILD

Germany is still searching for its way back after its disastrous World Cup defense in Russia. Joachim Loew's squad drew 0-0 with France last month in a game in Munich that did little to assure fans it will be challenging again for titles anytime soon.

If anything, the game just highlighted the absence of Mesut Ozil, who retired from international football after feeling he was made the scapegoat for the German team's disappointing performances in Russia. While Loew wanted his side to display more defensive stability, it failed to convince going forward.

Loew experimented with five changes in the subsequent 2-1 friendly win over Peru, but the pressure is on to show real progress is being made in the games against the Netherlands and France.

REPLACING RONALDO

With Cristiano Ronaldo out again, Portugal's attack will be relying on Andre Silva, the Sevilla striker who has been thriving in the Spanish league.

Silva, playing on a loan from AC Milan, has seven goals in eight league matches so far. Silva scored Portugal's winner in the 1-0 win over Italy in the team's Nations League debut and is set to start in the match at Poland on Friday. Ronaldo hasn't played for Portugal since the World Cup and isn't expected to be back until next year.

DEPLETED SPAIN

Spain will be depleted when it hosts England on Monday with a chance to practically secure a spot in the Nations League's final four.

Some key players will be absent because of injuries, including Francisco "Isco" Alarcon, Dani Carvajal, Sergi Roberto and Diego Costa.

BEST OF THE REST

Russia returns to Sochi, where the World Cup host lost a quarterfinals penalty shootout against Croatia, to play Turkey on Sunday in Group 2 of League B. Russia first hosts Sweden in Kaliningrad on Thursday.

In B3, Bosnia-Herzegovina goes for a third straight when Northern Ireland visits on Monday.

In League C, Group 4 co-leaders Montenegro and Serbia meet in Podgorica on Thursday. The Balkan neighbors joined together as one team at the 2006 World Cup.

In League D, teams with two wins last month include Georgia which next hosts Andorra, Luxembourg playing at Belarus, and Macedonia hosting Liechtenstein.

One of the longest journeys in European soccer faces Azerbaijan — about 4,400 kilometers (2,750 miles) to play at the Faroe islands on Thursday.

Dutch portal Football World Rankings released its latest ranking of the top managers in the world of soccer based on their results over the past 52 weeks, a list in which Manchester City's Pep Guardiola and Tottenham's Mauricio Pochettino fail to crack the top ten.

(Juan Pimiento)

CAPTION

Italian Football Federation president Gabriele Gravina slammed third-tier Pro Piacenza's 20-0 defeat by Cuneo on Sunday as an "insult to sport" after the losing side fielded just seven players.

Financially troubled Pro Piacenza have been unable to pay their players and staff, who have been on strike for several weeks.

Before Sunday's game at Cuneo in Piedmont, northern Italy, bottom club Pro Piacenza had already forfeited three matches and a fourth would have seen them kicked out of Serie C.

So they took to the pitch with seven players, all teenagers born between 2000 and 2002. An eighth player could not initially start having forgotten his identity papers and came on after an hour.

One of the two players born in 2000 was named on the match sheet as the coach.

With information from AFP.

Italian Football Federation president Gabriele Gravina slammed third-tier Pro Piacenza's 20-0 defeat by Cuneo on Sunday as an "insult to sport" after the losing side fielded just seven players.

Financially troubled Pro Piacenza have been unable to pay their players and staff, who have been on strike for several weeks.

Before Sunday's game at Cuneo in Piedmont, northern Italy, bottom club Pro Piacenza had already forfeited three matches and a fourth would have seen them kicked out of Serie C.

So they took to the pitch with seven players, all teenagers born between 2000 and 2002. An eighth player could not initially start having forgotten his identity papers and came on after an hour.

One of the two players born in 2000 was named on the match sheet as the coach.

With information from AFP.

CAPTION

Italian Football Federation president Gabriele Gravina slammed third-tier Pro Piacenza's 20-0 defeat by Cuneo on Sunday as an "insult to sport" after the losing side fielded just seven players.

Financially troubled Pro Piacenza have been unable to pay their players and staff, who have been on strike for several weeks.

Before Sunday's game at Cuneo in Piedmont, northern Italy, bottom club Pro Piacenza had already forfeited three matches and a fourth would have seen them kicked out of Serie C.

So they took to the pitch with seven players, all teenagers born between 2000 and 2002. An eighth player could not initially start having forgotten his identity papers and came on after an hour.

One of the two players born in 2000 was named on the match sheet as the coach.

With information from AFP.

Italian Football Federation president Gabriele Gravina slammed third-tier Pro Piacenza's 20-0 defeat by Cuneo on Sunday as an "insult to sport" after the losing side fielded just seven players.

Financially troubled Pro Piacenza have been unable to pay their players and staff, who have been on strike for several weeks.

Before Sunday's game at Cuneo in Piedmont, northern Italy, bottom club Pro Piacenza had already forfeited three matches and a fourth would have seen them kicked out of Serie C.

So they took to the pitch with seven players, all teenagers born between 2000 and 2002. An eighth player could not initially start having forgotten his identity papers and came on after an hour.

One of the two players born in 2000 was named on the match sheet as the coach.

With information from AFP.

CAPTION

Bayern Munich got off to an inauspicious start in their Bundesliga match against Bavarian rivals Augsburg as midfielder Leon Goretzka scored in his own goal 13 seconds into the match.

Bayern Munich got off to an inauspicious start in their Bundesliga match against Bavarian rivals Augsburg as midfielder Leon Goretzka scored in his own goal 13 seconds into the match.

CAPTION

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was comically caught off guard when informed about Benjamin Mendy's Instagram post announcing his location as Hong Kong.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was comically caught off guard when informed about Benjamin Mendy's Instagram post announcing his location as Hong Kong.

CAPTION

A week removed from Nantes's emotional display, Cardiff followed suit with an emotional tribute to Emiliano Sala, who signed with the Welsh club before his disappearance, ahead of their first home game since the Argentine was reported missing.

A week removed from Nantes's emotional display, Cardiff followed suit with an emotional tribute to Emiliano Sala, who signed with the Welsh club before his disappearance, ahead of their first home game since the Argentine was reported missing.

CAPTION

Nantes paid an emotional tribute to Emiliano Sala at the Stade de la Beaujoire on Wednesday before their first match since their former striker's plane disappeared over the Channel last week.

The 28-year-old had been traveling from Nantes to his new club Cardiff City when the plane went missing, with pilot David Ibbotson the only other person on board.

British investigators said earlier on Wednesday it was "likely" that two seat cushions that have washed up on the French shore were from the missing aircraft.

Nantes unveiled a large photo of Sala in the centre-circle before kick-off in the Ligue 1 game against Saint-Etienne, while the Argentine's former teammates donned T-shirts with "we love you Emi" written on the back.

All the Nantes players played in shirts featuring Sala's name instead of their own.

Former Nantes forward Yacine Bammou, who became a close friend of Sala's before leaving for Caen, was in tears in the stands, while coach Vahid Halilhodzic also struggled to contain his emotions.

Sala scored 42 league goals in 120 appearances for Nantes before signing for Cardiff in a 17-million-euro ($19.3-million) move.

He had visited his former teammates in Nantes on January 21 to say goodbye before flying towards Cardiff on the Piper PA-46 Malibu plane.

The official search was suspended last Thursday, but Britain's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said it would start an underwater search this weekend, working alongside a privately-funded search.

Hundreds of Nantes fans had held a vigil in the French city last week shortly after the first searches had failed to find the player.

"I did not have much hope. Now we must try to mourn and then move forward," said 69-year-old Nantes supporter Andree Guittet.

With information from AFP.

Nantes paid an emotional tribute to Emiliano Sala at the Stade de la Beaujoire on Wednesday before their first match since their former striker's plane disappeared over the Channel last week.

The 28-year-old had been traveling from Nantes to his new club Cardiff City when the plane went missing, with pilot David Ibbotson the only other person on board.

British investigators said earlier on Wednesday it was "likely" that two seat cushions that have washed up on the French shore were from the missing aircraft.

Nantes unveiled a large photo of Sala in the centre-circle before kick-off in the Ligue 1 game against Saint-Etienne, while the Argentine's former teammates donned T-shirts with "we love you Emi" written on the back.

All the Nantes players played in shirts featuring Sala's name instead of their own.

Former Nantes forward Yacine Bammou, who became a close friend of Sala's before leaving for Caen, was in tears in the stands, while coach Vahid Halilhodzic also struggled to contain his emotions.

Sala scored 42 league goals in 120 appearances for Nantes before signing for Cardiff in a 17-million-euro ($19.3-million) move.

He had visited his former teammates in Nantes on January 21 to say goodbye before flying towards Cardiff on the Piper PA-46 Malibu plane.

The official search was suspended last Thursday, but Britain's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said it would start an underwater search this weekend, working alongside a privately-funded search.

Hundreds of Nantes fans had held a vigil in the French city last week shortly after the first searches had failed to find the player.

"I did not have much hope. Now we must try to mourn and then move forward," said 69-year-old Nantes supporter Andree Guittet.